Turn Towards the Sun
by featherstorm
Summary: After the events of Day 3, Jack turns to Kate Warner for comfort, and slowly begins to heal. Chapter 4, "Coffee Break Wisdom," is up!
1. Solace

When someone finally dismissed him from CTU – with a "You look like hell, Jack, go get some rest" – he didn't go home. He aimed that direction, but his reluctance was a palpable thing. Like someone leaning against him, keeping him away. He finally yielded to that pressure with only a weary mental curse, yanking his SUV into the turn lane and pulling a U-turn.

He'd been to his destination enough times that he didn't need to think about the way. He pulled into the driveway and parked, killing the engine. He closed his eyes for a split second before reaching for the handle and getting out.

The exterior of the house looked the same as it always had. Jack fixated on the door, doing his best to ignore the corner of his brain that was noting possible ambush spots and sniper vantage points. His ears were pricked for every sound.

His knuckles hit the door three times before he remembered the doorbell. He put a hand on the door frame, leaning heavily on it, head bowed. When he heard the lock turn, he pulled himself upright as best he could. Shoulders still hunched with tension, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

The door opened to reveal Kate Warner. Her warm eyes narrowed with concern when she saw him. "Jack? Are you alright?"

"No." He didn't want to look away from those eyes. How long had it been since someone had looked at him that way? He felt his defenses begin to crumble, and he swallowed hard.

She stepped back, opening the door wider. "Come in." She swung the door closed after him without taking her eyes off of him. "What happened?" she asked softly, searching his face.

"Yesterday…" His throat closed over. _Yesterday… _He couldn't force out the rest of the words. He couldn't say it, couldn't tell her… He sucked in a breath, gasping for air. He felt her cool fingers touch his cheek and realized he'd closed his eyes.

Her arms went around his neck, her voice in his ear murmuring, "Oh, Jack," as she pulled him close.

Something in his chest broke. The first shuddering sob wracked his body, followed by another, and another. He pressed his face into her neck, silently screaming out the pain that was devouring him from the inside, hot tears spilling down his cheeks. His knees gave way and they staggered for a moment before she eased him onto the floor, still holding him tightly.

She rocked him gently, her own shoulders shaking. One hand stroked the back of his head and neck soothingly. She didn't offer any words, and he was grateful – her presence was enough.

There was no stopping the flood once it started. Eventually it ebbed, the sobs subsiding. He could breathe again and he did, drawing in gulps of air. The pressure in his chest shifted, pushing words to the surface. He fought it, shaking his head, but they came anyway.

"Chase is in the hospital," he told her, his forehead pressed to her shoulder. _Because of me_, he added silently, _because of my actions._ He shook his head again, strangling a whimper. "Tony's going to prison for treason for saving Michelle. People… So many people died. Good, innocent people." The shaking was back in full force. "I killed _a good man_ with my own hands." Those hands were bunched in Kate's shirt now, but he remembered… "I had _no choice_," he cried hoarsely.

"I know." Her arms tightened around him. "I _know_," she repeated forcefully, her voice raw. "You had no choice. You did what you had to do." She pressed her lips to his temple. "It's okay, Jack. You did what you had to do." Whispering, she repeated it. "_It's okay._"

Her absolution dissolved the last of his defenses. He clung to her, his face buried in her hair, and _sobbed_.


	2. A Time to Heal

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, giving the room a faint bluish glow. Jack shifted under the covers, stretching sleepy muscles while his brain oriented itself. The previous night came back slowly. He closed his eyes, breathing out a sigh. Kate.

He heard a noise behind him and rolled over. Kate stood just inside the doorway. Her hair was pulled back, but she was still in her nightgown. Her expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?"

Jack shook his head, sitting up. "What time is it?"

"Just after nine. I wasn't sure how long you were going to sleep. I figured you probably needed it."

Jack nodded mutely. He had probably needed more, but he wasn't going to say as much. Kate didn't look like she'd gotten much herself, and he knew that was entirely his fault.

When he didn't say anything, Kate stepped forward, gesturing towards the kitchen. "I made coffee. I can bring you a cup, if you'd like."

"I can get it."

She nodded. The ensuing silence was awkward. "Well, I…" She turned back to the door.

"Kate."

She stopped and looked at him. He met her eyes and found himself tongue-tied, unsure of what to say. After a moment she smiled, tilting her head. "Come get some coffee."

"Right."

He got up and followed her out into the house, pausing only to pull on a shirt. He'd slept in a pair of sweatpants he'd left there who knew how long ago. They'd both forgotten about them until she'd discovered them buried in one of her drawers.

He went into the kitchen and snagged a mug out of the cabinet. Only after he'd filled it did he realize he'd taken the one that he'd always used when they'd been together, so much so that it had effectively been his. He closed his eyes, leaning his head against the cabinet. There was something a little messed up about him being there.

He went out into the living room. Kate was standing at the window, staring out with her back to him. He cupped his coffee mug in both hands, sipping from it distractedly. Eventually the combination of heat and caffeine reached his brain, prodding it more awake. He crossed the carpet to Kate with almost hesitant steps, coming to stand beside her. She turned her head and gave him a brief smile before looking away again.

"Kate." Her name came from his lips before he realized he was going to speak. She looked back at him with a mix of emotions he did his best not to analyze. Still, they urged him on. "I wanted to thank you."

She shook her head, ponytail swinging. "You don't have to –"

"No," he interrupted her. "No, I do. I shouldn't have dumped all of this on you. I'm sorry for that." She started to protest and he quickly spoke over her. "I just… I didn't know where else to go." Now she was silent, looking at him with big eyes. Unable to maintain that gaze, he dropped his eyes. "Kim's at the hospital with Chase, Tony's in custody, Michelle's dealing with that… I didn't have anyone else to turn to, and I was afraid of what would happen if I went home." He raised his chin, looking at her openly. "I've been clean, Kate. I'm trying to stay that way, but it's hard."

She touched his hand with gentle fingers. "I'm glad you came here."

Jack nodded, looking down. "Yeah." He let out a breath that was almost a laugh. "Yeah, me too."

After a moment, her hand fell away. "Can I get you anything to eat?" Her expression was uncertain.

Jack looked towards the kitchen. "Actually, why don't I make breakfast?"

She blinked, surprised. "You don't have to do that. You're my guest, Jack."

"I want to. If you're interested, I mean. Or, wait." He glanced around for a clock. "Didn't you say it's after nine? Don't you need to go to work? I can get out of your hair…"

She shook her head. Her expression was a little embarrassed. "I called and told them I wouldn't be in this morning." Her mouth quirked. "They can get by without me for a while."

He felt a surge of gratitude, coupled with a touch of guilt. He nodded wordlessly, unable to find a suitable reply.

She misinterpreted his silence. "I mean, you don't have to stay, but… you're welcome to. As long as you like."

He could tell she meant it. The sincerity and warmth in her words hit him hard. He dropped his gaze again, nodding. "Thank you," he replied, his voice husky. He met her eyes, hoping she saw the same honesty there. "You're too good to me."

She smiled. "You can make it up to me by making one of those famous omelets of yours," she suggested, a twinkle of humor in her eye.

He laughed a little, nodding. "You've got a deal. You want hash browns with it?"

She trailed him into the kitchen. "I don't think I have any."

Despite that lack, her refrigerator was as well-stocked as always. Jack pulled out a package of eggs (missing only two out of the dozen), ham, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and a bag of shredded cheese. Kate began washing the mushrooms while he dug out the skillet and cutting boards. He went to reach for the knife block and paused, eyebrows raised. "New set?" he asked, pulling one out. The polished blade gleamed in the light.

"Allison gave it to me for Christmas." She patted the mushrooms dry with a paper towel. "The old set barely held an edge anymore."

"I remember," he murmured. "These are nice."

"Thanks." She smiled at him as she deposited the mushrooms on one of the cutting boards. He handed the knife to her and took another from the block. She passed him the ham and peppers, keeping the onions and mushrooms on her side.

They fell into a companionable silence, broken only by the thunk and slip of the blades as they chopped and sliced. Jack bent his attention to the task, focusing on turning the meat and veggies into bite-sized pieces and pushing everything else out of his mind.

When Kate pulled out the onion, he glanced her way and smiled before turning back to his own work. He didn't mind chopping onions, but she'd confessed to him once that she _liked _doing it. She liked the way they crunched under her knife, the way they smelled, even the way they stung her eyes. It sounded strange to him, but he'd always let her handle them when he cooked after that.

They finished chopping and he fired up the stove, ready to start on the omelets themselves. Behind him, Kate washed her hands and began setting the table. The soft clinking and clanking of the dishes and silverware made a nice counterpoint to the hiss and sizzle of the skillet. Scents mixed and mingled as he added ingredients, filling the kitchen with a heady aroma.

"Orange juice?" she asked, brushing past him on her way to the fridge.

"Please."

He made hers first: light on the ham, heavy on the cheese. His own was the opposite, with plenty of meat and only enough cheese for flavor. The veggies he split evenly between the two.

He heard the toaster pop up as he was getting ready to plate the second omelet. While Kate buttered the toast, he took the plates to the table, setting them on the placemats – she'd chosen the orange ones this morning. "Something sunny to brighten the morning," she'd said once.

She brought the toast over and they sat. Inhaling deeply, a slow smile spread across her face. "This looks and smells delicious. Thank you."

His answering smile felt strange. It came too easily. "I hope it's good. I haven't made these in ages."

They both dug in. Kate made a sound of appreciation. "_Very _good." Privately, Jack agreed – he hadn't lost his touch. It was nice to know he still had at least one non-violent skill.

He found himself watching her as they ate. He let his eyes linger, drinking in the sight of her sitting across from him. Looking at her, it felt like just another morning, like so many others they'd had in the past. The one niggling difference was the lack of a newspaper, but that wasn't entirely unusual, either. She generally left it out in the garage or otherwise out of sight when he'd just gotten done with a bad mission. He wondered if he'd ever thanked her for that.

He thought bout doing it now, but when she glanced up, smiling at him, he chose an easier topic. "How is your father doing?"

"Good. He's still doing the beach bum thing in Florida."

Jack chuckled. "I'm surprised he hasn't gotten bored with being retired yet."

"Me, too," Kate admitted. "But he seems to like it. He still spends his days on the beach, writing the great American novel. He's even seeing someone, which he never had time for here." She shrugged, poking at her food with her fork. "I think he's happy."

Jack pushed down a twinge of envy. "I'm glad," he said honestly. After everything that had happened three years ago, Bob Warner deserved some peace.

"Me, too." She smiled softly at him. Lifting a shoulder in a shrug, she added, "I do still have to call him once in a while. For work, I mean. He ran the company for so long, he knows more about it than anyone else."

Jack nodded. "How are things going with that?" he asked, taking a bite of his eggs.

"_Very_ good. We're competing for two big contracts right now. Winning either one would be huge for us, and we've got a good shot at both of them." She sipped her orange juice. "I have a meeting tomorrow to talk about how we're going to manage it if we win both. I know we _can_, but it'll take some work. I think we're going to have to move some people from the Washington branch…"

She chatted easily about work while Jack listened, occasionally interjecting comments. By the time they were done eating, she'd filled him in on all the recent developments in the company and his shoulders had almost completely unknotted. He helped her clear the table, setting the plates in the sink.

She came up beside him. "I'll wash, you dry?" she asked, smiling up at him.

He smiled back. "Sure."

There was something meditative about doing dishes. They lapsed into a comfortable silence, only speaking when Jack needed to be reminded about where something went in the kitchen. Beyond that, there was no conversation. No _questions_. He knew she had them. He hadn't given her much the previous night, but what he'd said had to be eating at her. She knew those people, was friends with them, and all she knew was that they were in various states of trouble. She could have pressed him for details, but she didn't. And though he cursed himself for being weak, he couldn't bring himself to offer them up. He couldn't go there, not yet. Which, of course, was why she didn't ask.

She rinsed the last plate and set it in the drainer. Glancing up, she caughed him looking at her and smiled softly. He found it in him to return the smile, looking down to pick up the plate. He dried it, his mind elsewhere. When he'd put it away and the counters were wiped down, he took a breath, meeting her eyes again. "I should probably head out."

Surprise and disappointment flickered over her features but were quickly masked. "Okay. You sure?"

He nodded with more conviction than he felt. "Yeah. I have things I need to take care. Besides," he added, giving her a half-smile, "I should get out of your hair."

She shook her head. "You don't have to. Like I said --"

"I know. And thank you." He hoped she could see the sincerity in his eyes and voice. "But I..."

She smiled, soft and a little sad. "I know."

He hesitated. "I'll just go get dressed."

His jeans were folded up on a chair in her room. He stripped off the sweat pants, automatically pitching them into the laundry hamper. He tugged on the jeans and slid his shoes on, skipping socks since he didn't have any clean here. He started to the door and then paused, realizing the bed was still unmade. He went to it and straightened the sheets, pulling up the comforter. Running a hand over it, he glanced around the room and then exited.

Kate was standing in the entryway when he came out. He approached her hesitantly, feeling a little awkward. "Well..." He didn't know what to say. They looked at each other wordlessly for a moment.

She blinked suddenly. "Oh, um. Your jacket."

He frowned, watching her go to the coat closet. He hadn't been wearing a jacket yesterday, had he?

She pulled something from the closet. "The leather one you... left here," she said, turning to face him. The jacket hung from her hand.

Reality slammed into him. _Left._ This… He'd left all of this. Not just the jacket, but her. This life, with lazy breakfasts and easy conversations and no one trying to kill him. He'd barely appreciated it when he'd been married to Teri; he'd almost completely disregarded it with Kate. He'd pushed it all away – he'd pushed her away. He'd never really expected to see her again. And yet here she was in front of him, calmly offering him his jacket, no reproach in her eyes.

With one hand, he slowly took the jacket. He cupped her face with the other and kissed her.

She kissed him back without reservation. Her lips were as soft as he remembered. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to lose himself in her embrace.

Instead, he pulled away. His arms fell to his side, one weighed down by the jacket.

"I, um." He cleared his throat. "I'll see you later."

The hope that had kindled in her eyes faded. He knew she didn't believe him, but she didn't say so. She just smiled that sad smile of hers. "Bye," she murmured.

He hesitated, and then left without another word.


	3. Making the Choice

Jack had been given the day off. Good in theory; with all that had happened, he needed a break. Unfortunately, it wasn't just work that had gone to hell, it was _life_. That, it was harder to take a break from.

No, he amended privately, it could have been very, very easy.

He had only to look at his daughter to remember why he wouldn't, couldn't take the easy way out anymore. She needed him – _him, _not some drugged out shadow of him. So did Chase, his partner, whom he'd already failed in so many ways. Tony and Michelle, too, deserved a friend who was fully present. He could handle the withdrawal; he couldn't handle letting them down.

It was incredibly hard. Their pain, _his _pain, cut like shards of glass. The desire to make himself blissfully numb sometimes took his breath away. As the day went on, and it became harder and harder to cope, he found a new way to get through. Whenever he pushed down the urge to shoot up, it was replaced, unexpectedly, with an image of Kate from breakfast that morning, coupled with just a touch of the peace he had found there with her.

It helped. He could breathe again. His shoulders unknotted, if only a little. He had the strength to face his friends and family, the only ones he had.

When he got home that night, he collapsed onto the couch, feeling simultaneously drained and wired. The phone was in his hand, though he barely remembered picking it up. He stared at it, debating.

He had failed her as much as he had the others. He'd become a junkie. He'd disappeared for months with barely a "see you around" in parting. He had treated her badly. She deserved so much better.

And yet... there had been forgiveness in her eyes that morning. Forgiveness and maybe something more.

He dialed the phone.

* * *

She picked up the phone on the third ring. Caller ID read "Unknown." "Hello?"

"Kate, hey. It's Jack."

She froze in place. "Hi." It had barely been twelve hours since he'd walked out her front door. She hadn't expected to hear from him… ever, honestly. Certainly not within the same day.

He cleared his throat. "How was your day?"

"Fine," she replied automatically. Her brain was way behind. _Small talk?_ Not from Jack, not now. Not when he hadn't called her in weeks, not even after he had spent the night and morning at her house. "It was good," she added. Concern softened her tone. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," he assured her quietly. He took a deep breath. "Look, Kate, I've been thinking… I know I don't deserve a second chance with you, but… I think I need you. I know I can do this on my own, but I'm tired of that. I lose myself out there, and… I like who I can be when I'm with you." He breathed out a laugh that had little to do with humor. "Right now that doesn't sound like much, and I don't know if it's enough, but…

Kate finally found her voice. "Jack." Her hands were shaking.

He stopped midstream. She thought he was holding his breath.

She drew in a deep breath herself before murmuring, "It's enough."

The half-laugh, half-sob she heard on the other end of the line was all relief. A smile tugged at her lips and would not be denied. "Do you want to buy me dinner tomorrow night?" she suggested.

"I'd like that."

She hugged herself, feeling dazed. "Me, too."


	4. Coffee Break Wisdom

It was 5:20 when Kate reached the Starbucks on the corner by her office. Annie was already there, of course, sitting at a table and tapping her fingers. Kate winced when her friend looked up. "I'm sorry," she called the moment she was in earshot.

"Yeah, yeah." Annie stood, smiling.

Kate grimaced, closing the rest of the distance between them. "Someone caught me just as I was walking out the door. I couldn't get him to realize I had somewhere to be."

"I'm just glad it was only 20 minutes." Annie pointed one well-manicured finger at her. "But you're still buying my coffee."

"I know." Kate grinned, bumping the other woman's shoulder with her own as they headed for the door. They had a standing deal -- whenever Kate was more than five minutes late for a coffee date, she had to buy Annie's drink. She'd bought her friend a _lot_ of coffee over the last couple of years.

Kate shooed her to a table inside while she got in line. "Your usual?" she called after her.

"Please. Venti today."

Kate raised her eyebrows, wondering what kind of day Annie'd had that warranted that much caffeine this late in the day. Annie shrugged in response. With her, it could have been a stressful day at work or a long night of partying -- or maybe she was just taking full advantage of Kate's tardiness.

She placed their orders -- venti skinny vanilla latte for Annie, tall black coffee for Kate -- and stood to the side to wait. A glance back at their table told her Annie was well occupied. The man at the next table had wasted no time in chatting her up. Annie was gorgeous, with flawless mocha skin, long legs, and eyes that men had literally written poems about. She was also, much to the dismay of the general male population, very happily married. As Kate watched, Annie gestured with her left hand, casually flashing her wedding ring. He got the hint. _Points for him,_ Kate thought, looking away to hide her grin. Some men didn't back off even when they realized she was taken.

By the time she got their drinks and headed for the table, the man was heading for the door. "Another conquest?" Kate asked with a smile, handing Annie her drink and sitting down.

"It's not my fault I'm irresistible." Annie shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. "If he hadn't scrambled so quick, I'd have told him to wait around for my equally gorgeous and much more single friend."

"Thank you for the thought," Kate said mildly. She blew on her coffee, looking away. It had been a week since Jack had come back into her life and she still hadn't told her best friend. She'd been telling herself that she just hadn't had a good opportunity -- except now was a perfect opening, and she was letting it pass by. _Chicken,_ she thought derisively. Even so, when she opened her mouth, it was to change the subject, not to come clean about her ex. "So what's with the caffeine?"

"Ugh." Annie grimaced, gripping her cup like a hard-won prize. "Work. I do not want to talk about it," she added emphatically. "Call me shallow, but what I want to talk about is something fun, like clothes and shopping. _Not_ work."

"Fair enough." Kate settled back in her chair, smiling wistfully. "I haven't been shopping in weeks."

"You work too much."

Kate raised an eyebrow. "I thought we weren't talking about work, Annie."

"Right, sorry." Annie flashed a grin. "Well, not to make you feel bad, sweetie, but I did go shopping without you on Saturday. Desperately needed some retail therapy, you know? I got these awesome pants, but I _didn't_ find new shoes to go with them, so I was thinking..." Annie wiggled her eyebrows at Kate, who laughed. "We could go together this Friday."

Kate's laughter died. _Friday. Crap._ "Actually..." She fidgeted with the cardboard on her cup. "I can't on Friday."

She kept her tone as nonchalant as possible, but Annie's sixth sense clearly tingled. She sat up straighter, regarding Kate with interest. "Why not?"

She wasn't about to lie to her friend, not even about this. Carefully, she admitted, "I have a date."

"Oooo." Annie's chocolate eyes sparkled with glee. She leaned forward. "Good for you! Who with? Wait -- second date with that tasty bartender?"

Kate wanted to laugh -- the bartender _had_ been tasty -- but she knew what Annie's reaction was going to be when she heard the truth. It was hard to laugh in the face of that. Dropping her hands to her lap, she sighed and looked Annie in the eye. "No. Jack."

Annie's face froze. "Jack." Her eyes begged Kate to correct herself. When she didn't, Annie's hands hit the table with a loud smack. "Jack. As in, the Jack who turned out to be a junkie? The one who disappeared for what, a year? The one who _broke your heart_? _That_ Jack?" All mirth was gone from her voice.

Kate shifted in her seat. "You make it sound --"

"I make it sound like _exactly_ what it was, Kate, and you know it!" Annie jabbed a finger at her. "I didn't think you two were even _speaking_ anymore, and now you're going out with him again? What the _hell_?"

"I found his leather jacket..."

"Oh, for chrissakes." Annie sat back abruptly, glowering. "You should have burned it. Or pawned it. Hell, that's what he's probably going to do. Pawn it for cash so he can score his next hit."

Kate shook her head, trying to cut her off. "He's not using."

"_Right_." Scorn turned the single word into a nasty sound. "Once a junkie, always a junkie."

"_That's not fair._" She kept her voice quiet, but the force behind her words finally made Annie stop and actually look at her. She took a deep breath. "The jacket isn't why he came over."

"He _came over_ --"

"You know what he does for a living." Kate spoke over Annie's protest. "You know something big happened last week. That was when he showed up on my doorstep. He looked... shattered."

"It's not your job to put him back together," Annie said gently, letting go of some of her anger.

"I know that, but... he doesn't have anyone else. I couldn't turn him away."

"You could have. After the way he treated you, you could have."

Kate was silent for a moment. "No," she said finally. "I couldn't have. You didn't see him, Annie. The way he hurt me was nothing compared to the way he looked that night."

"Alright, fine." Annie waved a hand. "So you let him in. You give him, ah, _comfort_ --"

"Annie!" Kate glared at her friend, hearing the implication in the last word. "It wasn't like that. He didn't ask for, and I didn't offer, anything but a shoulder to cry on. _That's_ the comfort I gave him, Annie. I held him while he _sobbed_. He cried like the world had ended. And when he fell asleep, I gave him a bed. _That's all_."

Moderately chastened, Annie nodded. She picked up her coffee cup, studying it. "Alright. Maybe you did the right thing. But dating him again?" She raised her eyes to Kate's. "You don't owe him anything, honey."

"I know that." Kate sighed, rubbing her forehead with one hand. "It's not... obligation. Or pity, if that's what you're thinking. By morning he was more himself again. Except... different." She searched for words. "More at peace, I think, than I'd seen him in a long time. He actually smiled." She felt her own lips turn upwards, thinking about that morning. It had been nice. Peaceful.

"That's good," Annie conceded, adding gently, "but it wasn't exactly a normal situation. You want to think he's changed, but you don't know. He could turn back into the bastard who broke your heart."

Kate sighed. "I know." She picked at the cardboard on her cup. "I still love him," she said finally, meeting Annie's eyes. "I want to give him a second chance. He's not a bad guy. Things only went sour when he started using, and he swears he's not anymore."

"And you believe him?"

She hesitated. "I want to believe him."

"At least there's that."

Kate gave her a small, wry smile. "I'm not jumping into this headfirst. I'm keeping my eyes open this time."

"You'd better."

She still looked doubtful. Kate reached across the table, taking her friend's hand. "If you really think I'm crazy, even now, tell me. I know I'm not objective when it comes to him."

Annie's fingers wrapped around hers, squeezing gently. "No kidding," she agreed, finally cracking a smile. "Meet a guy during the worst day of your life and fall head over heels for him. I think the shrinks would have a field day with that. But..." She sighed. "He was good to you for a while. And the truth is, you know him better than I do. If you really think the man deserves a second chance, then okay. Go for it."

It wasn't a ringing endorsement, but it was enough to ease the band of worry around Kate's chest. "Thank you."

"Not like you weren't going for it anyway." Annie eyed her, a smirk touching her lips.

"I know, but it's good to know I have you on my side."

"Hey." Annie squeezed her fingers again. "Even if I don't agree, I'll always be here for you, okay? You're my best friend."

Kate squeezed back, not trusting herself to speak around the sudden lump in her throat. She'd lost her sister three years ago, but somewhere along the line she'd gained another one. That was priceless to her, and something she'd never let any man, even Jack Bauer, get in the middle of. If Annie had really objected, she'd have let Jack go. He wasn't worth losing her.

"And hey. If he hurts you again, make sure he knows that I'm gonna find him and I'm gonna kick his ass." Annie grinned fiercely, making Kate laugh.

"I'll tell him to watch his step," she promised.

"Good." Annie sat back, taking a drink. "So. Where are you two going?"

Kate arched her eyebrows. "Are you planning to follow us?"

Annie snorted. "No. And I'm not going to call to make sure you're home by curfew, either, I promise." She winked, making Kate grin. "I just want to make sure he's taking you someplace nice. Nice enough to make up for his crap, or at least to make a start at it."

"Actually..." She was back to fidgeting with her cup. "We did that last week." She winced at the expression on Annie's face. "I'm sorry, I should have told you, but I knew what your reaction would be. I swear this is only the second time."

"Damn." Hurt and surprise lingered in Annie's eyes. "No more holding back on me, alright? I know I don't like the guy, but jeez. You should have told me. What if something'd happened?" She waved a hand, forestalling Kate's protest. "I know, I'm not your keeper, but I'm allowed to worry, aren't I?"

"You are," Kate agreed, adding with a smile, "and I love you for it. But you can relax, at least about the first date. Obviously nothing happened."

Annie nodded slowly, considering her. "So what did happen?"

"We talked." Kate lifted a shoulder. "We went to a nice restaurant, like you said, and we just... talked. All through dinner and for a long time afterwards."

"Just talking?"

"Just talking. We had a lot to talk about," she added quietly. She looked down at her hands, remembering the pain in his eyes. He'd told her what happened to Chase. He'd told her a lot of things, probably more than he was legally supposed to, and even then she knew it wasn't everything. It had been enough, though. Enough to know that the way he'd looked on her doorstep that night had been completely justified. Hell had descended on him that day.

And now he'd turned to her to break free of it. The thought made her smile, just a little.

"Did he at least apologize for the way he treated you? Not that an apology does much, but --"

"He did." Her smile widened. "He apologized very sweetly. And maybe it's not much, but he did mean it."

"Well, that's something." Annie gave her a wry smile over her coffee cup. "You planning to take him home with you on Friday?"

Kate laughed. "Annie!"

Her friend grinned, unrepentant. "Hey, you told me the first time you two did the deed. Why not share now?"

Kate had to concede the point. "I'm... not making any plans either way," she said truthfully.

"Good." Annie's gaze turned serious. "Look, I know you're not asking for my advice here, but I'm gonna give it anyway. Take it slow. If he's really serious about this second chance thing, he won't rush you. And you -- you deserve to be more than some booty call to this guy. He needs to respect you before he gets to see you naked. Otherwise it's just not gonna work."

Kate nodded slowly, digesting Annie's words. She was the queen of advice, whether Kate asked for it or not. The queen not just because she gave it so freely, but because she was generally right. _Respect._ "I'll remember that," she said finally.

"Good." She leaned forward, a glint in her eye. "And when you _do_ bring him home..."

"Yes, I'll tell you. Lech." Kate grinned at her.

"Good. Oh!" Annie sat up straight, then started digging into her pocket. "Phone," she explained, pulling it out. "Hubby." She rolled her eyes as she answered, "Hey, Babe." Pause. "Wait, you --" She stopped, clearly listening. Kate watched with amusement as Annie's face contorted between surprise, bafflement, and resignation. Finally she said, "Open the windows and turn on the overhead fans. Yes, all of them." She rolled her eyes at her husband's next words. "Yes, babe, I'm headed home right now. I'll be there in a bit." She flipped the phone closed with a dramatic sigh.

Kate smiled sympathetically. "Trouble at home?"

"Rick apparently is trying to burn down the house." The smile she gave Kate was apologetic. "I gotta go. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

They both stood and Annie came around the table for a hug. When they parted, she held onto Kate's hands momentarily. "Shopping on Saturday?"

"You just want to get details about my date."

"That," Annie admitted readily, "and some new shoes. It's called multitasking, hon."

Kate laughed. "In that case, absolutely."

"Good! I'll call you." She grabbed her purse. "Assuming I'm not in jail for throttling my husband, of course."

"Of course." She waved and watched Annie head out. Smile lingering on her lips, she sat back down, reaching once more for her coffee. It was lukewarm by then, but she barely cared. It gave her a good excuse to stay. Annie had given her a lot to think about. It was somehow easier to do it there in the Starbucks than at home, where she and Jack had shared that peaceful breakfast a week ago. Where, only a few days ago, they'd stood on the front porch and he'd kissed her goodnight. She'd warred with herself, wanting to ask him in. Willpower had won out then; she wasn't sure it would the next time.

She sighed and sipped her drink. Nothing about the situation was easy. She was likely to wind up with her heart broken all over again, with Annie there to say, "I told you so."

She closed her eyes, remembering the way he'd looked at her. Remembering his voice as he asked for a second chance.

Some things, she thought, were worth the risk.


End file.
